Factors influencing the Utilization of Hand-Dug Shallow Wells for Agricultural and Domestic Water Supply in Harawa District, Somali Region, Ethiopia

Among various possible options to address water scarcity problems in the Somali region, the use of hand-dug shallow Wells for extracting groundwater holds considerable importance. Nevertheless, its actual utilization has not met expectations. This study aimed to assess determinants for the use of hand-dug wells as a source of irrigation and domestic water consumption in the Harawa district. Mixed (quantitative and qualitative) approach was used for the data collection. Descriptive statistics and Binary Logistic regression model were applied for the analysis. From the fourteen explanatory variables fitted in binary logistic model, education status, average distance to water sources, labor availability, training, and farming experience showed statistically positive significance (p < 0.05) effect on the agro-pastoralists’ decision to use hand dug shallow, where, the age and livestock ownership variables were found to have a significant (p < 0.05) negative relationship with the utilizations of the HDSWs. In conclusion, targeted interventions addressing these key factors could substantially promote the utilization status of HDSWs, thereby increasing water access and supporting sustainable livelihoods in agro-pastoral communities